Rebellion
by BarnCat23
Summary: Sequel to Lost, book 2 in the 'These Twisted Games' series. Before embarking on her journey to the Capitol for the Quarter Quell, Mia discovers a secret that changes everything: Dillon is alive and waiting in the Capitol...but will they be the same after what happened in the Arena? will they make it in the Quarter Quell?
1. Chapter 1

**Rebellion, Episode 1**

**I watch the snow fall gently out the window from inside my bedroom. I watch the small flakes hit the ground. It could be almost peaceful, living here. But I will soon go on the Victory Tour on that retched train. I'll be washes and plucked and smothered with makeup until I am unrecognizable then forced to speak at the Districts as if I am okay with all of this. Then I'll be forced to go to a party being planned in the Capitol. I will go to interviews with Caesar. I will talk about my fun time being rich and famous. I will lie and act happy.  
I have a day until they announce the special event for the Quarter Quell. I don't have a slightest idea what could possibly be better than last time. But I guess for the Capitol, anything is better than a substitute winner. They need a real winner to cheer for, not some girl dragged out on her death bed.  
The day after they announce the Quarter Quell's special quality I'll be sent on the train for the Victory Tour. I hate all of this. I hate what the Capitol makes people do for **_entertainment_**. It's sick and diluted. And it cost me the boy I loved, the one I still find myself thinking about 7 weeks after his death. I was in intensive care for 4 of those weeks. But nothing hurt like the day Rory told me his fate. I almost convinced myself to watch the Games to see what happened to him for myself. But I couldn't bring myself to do it.  
Another several flakes fall out the window and I'm tired of the white, cold, bitterness. I walk to the living area and see Rory has gone to work already. He stopped working in the mines; he traded that job for a job in the Seam. He won't tell me exactly what it is he does. I walk outside, barefoot in my white dress, and step on the snow. It sends a shiver up my spine. My feet feel as numb as they could ever get. They feel like blocks of ice.  
I walk to the snow covered green and lay in the snow. Maybe if I lay here for a while, I think, I'll die before anyone has a chance to change my mind. I'll just freeze. My fire will go away and I'll be able to see Dillon again. My hands are unmovable. My back feels like it's touching the beginning of the ice age. I could do it. Just slip away. It doesn't hurt, at least not as much as I thought it would. I lie on the snow and look up at more snow falling down, it covering me like a blanket, and helping me pass. I lie here for what feels like a few minutes, and my whole body feels numb. I can't feel it, but I'm shaking like a crazy person. My teeth chatter loudly. My eyes feel heavy and start to droop. I don't hold my eye lids open. I let them fall closed. For a brief moment I see white; A bright, warm white.  
Then it's ripped away from me and it hurts everywhere. My eyes slightly open and I see a bright yellow light above me. I'm on my back again. My whole body stings just slightly. I force my eyes open wider. I feel heat and I see the flicker of a fire in the corner of my left eye. "I swear, Mia...this death wish of yours is getting out of control." I see Rory standing over me. I struggle to sit up, my arms shaking. "How'd you find me?" I ask, looking at the floor. **

"**I didn't…he did," I look up and see Peeta standing a few feet behind Rory. "If he hadn't come over…look, I'm not leaving you in the house alone anymore. Someone will be here to make sure you don't kill yourself twenty-four hours a day."**

"**But-"**

"**No, Mia! No buts." Rory mumbles something I can't understand and walks into another room. My eyes flit to Peeta's. He looks sympathetic, sorry for me. I don't need his pity. I don't need a reassuring smile. He should know that, he saw the Games; he saw what happened in the Arena. I don't need him, or Rory…I need Dillon. Angry tears sear the corners of my eyes. I stand up on my shaky legs. I take a step and stumble. Peeta reaches for me but I swat his hand away. I steady myself and force my feet to move. I half-lean on the wall half-walk to my room. My whole body shakes with anger. A knock on my door makes me jump. I turn around to see Peeta standing in my doorway. "What do you want?" I snap. "A gold medal for bringing me back to this hell hole?" I know I've hurt him by that, and half of me likes the fact that I've hurt him. "This is your third attempt to kill yourself. First it was **_**strangulation**_**, then it was **_**drowning**_**, now **_freezing_** yourself? Come on Mia, you have people to talk about it to…there's no need to kill yourself" he says, his voice gentle as if he's trying not to push my buttons. **

"**How would you know? You bake…wow, so traumatizing," I roll my eyes then look away. "I was thrown into an Arena with twenty-three other children, some my age some younger or older, and I was forced to **_kill_**, Peeta. I nearly died and-" my voice is choked off by a sob. "Dillon is dead. I never should've left, I never should've…" Peeta wraps his arms around me, enveloping me in a hug. He holds me while I cry out all the tears I've been holding for almost a month. It feels like only a few minutes have gone by when I pull away and wipe at my eyes. "I'm always here for you, if you want to talk or just cry" he says. I nod. "Thank you, for that and for saving my life." **

"**All in a day's work for a baker's son right?" he says, and I laugh. **

"**Mia! Time for the unveiling of the Quarter Quell special" Rory calls from the living area, his voice full of disgust. He's never liked the Quarter Quell. I remember him say, **_we have one every year why do we need another reason to hate the Capitol? _**Peeta and I walk to the living area. "That time already?" I ask. Rory nods standing in front of the small television. "How long was I asleep?"**

"**Twenty-four hours" Peeta says, from beside me. We sit on the couch and I hug my knees to my chest. Rory takes a seat beside Peeta and crosses his arms. President Snow is on the stage, talking about how this year can't be anything but exciting. My stomach turns in knots. I almost don't want to hear what they have in store for this year. But I can't look away when President Snow opens the envelope. His voice booms into the microphone. "This year, Tributes will be picked from the pool of existing victors." **_**No, no, no, no, no**_**. my stomach twists harder and it almost hurts. It hits me like a brick. I'm going back in the Arena, I'm going to fight for my life again. But this time I'm going in with other **_Victors_**. Not kids that don't know how to defend themselves. I think I'm going to cry again as the memories of the Games flood my mind. "Mia-" I dart for my room and lock the door behind me. I shrink to the floor. I can't go back…I can't. They can't make me if they can't find me. How can you hide from someone with eyes and ears everywhere? You don't. I change into a pair of black pants and a shirt, my leather jacket and soft cloth boots. I climb out my window and hit the ground on my feet. My ankles sting slightly but it goes away after a few steps. I walk to Haymitch's house and knock on the door. I knock again and again until I decide he won't come to the door.  
I sneak around the backside of the house and climb in an unlocked window. I nearly retch once the smell fills my nose. I pinch my nose closed as I walk to Haymitch, slumped over in a chair with a bottle in his hand. I shake him hard and he stirs. "Haymitch, wake the hell up" I snarl. He stays still. I sigh in frustration.  
An idea hits me and I fill an empty basin with cold water from the sink. I carry it to him then dump it on his head. He springs up with a knife in his hand and swings it at me. I sidestep and grab his arm, twisting it behind his back. "Haymitch! It's me, Mia." I let him go and he makes a sound, almost like a growl. "What do **_you_** want?" **

"**Didn't you watch the broadcast?"**

"**Yeah, so what?" he curses as he trips over some trash on his way back to his chair. "**_So_** we're going into the games again, Haymitch. Sober up 'cause I am **_not_** saving your drunk-"**

"**You won't need to" he says, plopping down into his chair. He takes a swig from the bottle and finds it empty. He throws it toward the kitchen and it shatters on the floor. I start as the sound echoes through the room. "Why not?" I ask, a hint of an edge to my voice. **

"**I'm not goin' Sweetheart. Dillon's alive." He words go in one ear and out the other, until he says **_Dillon's Alive_**. "N-no…h-he can't be," I stutter. "He died in the Arena." Haymitch laughs and shakes his head. "You didn't watch did you?" he sees the look on my face and laughs harder. "Who said he was dead? The kid's alive and well…in the Capitol" he slurs. He searches the room for another bottle of liquor. I want to ask more questions but there's a hard lump in my throat. "He is?" is all I can manage. Haymitch reaches beside his chair and grabs another half-empty bottle. He takes a swig and looks me in the eye. "Ask your brother…what was his name? Oh yeah, Rory" he slurs. I turn and march to the window, anger and confusion fueling my every move. I crawl outside and run to my door. I swing it wide open and stop inside. Rory walks to me. "What's-" I cut him off with a slap to his face. "How could you? **_How could you_**? Dillon's alive and you couldn't bring yourself to tell me? You lied to me! I've been trying to kill myself because I thought he was dead!" angry tears fall off my cheeks. His eyes are hollow like he's trying to get past the me-slapping-him part of this conversation. "I hate you!" I walk to my room before he can say anything, before he can make stupid excuses. I shut the door behind me and crawl onto my bed. I can't believe I said that to him. But it needed to be said. It gets dark outside and becomes night but I can't sleep. Not after today. Not after I found out he might still be alive. Haymitch was drunk, I don't know what part if any of what he said was true. But my heart holds onto the hope it was all true. **

**In the morning, I start on a walk to Peeta's house. I need fresh air, and I can't be anywhere near Rory right now. I trudge in the snow out of the the Victor's Village. I brought some money with me so I can go to the Hob after Peeta's. We need some things at the house and it'll give me an excuse to stay away longer.  
I walk up the steps and into the bakery. Mr. Mellark smiles when he sees me. I take off my hat and gloves, then walk to the counter. "Mia, how have you been? We haven't seen you in a while" he says. **

"**I've been copping. Is Peeta here?" he nods and points upstairs. He steps closer to them and calls up the stairs, "Peeta, Mia is here to see you!" I hear a few shuffles then he comes walking down the stairs. He stops beside me. "Mind if we take a walk?" I ask. **

"**Yeah sure" he says. I put my hat and gloves back on and we walk outside. Once we're out of hearing distance of the Bakery, I turn to him. "Why did you lie to me?" he stops and looks down. "**_**Why**_**?" I ask again. **

"**Your brother made me promise when you were still in Capitol care. I didn't want to, Mia" he says, looking up to me. **

"**You could've said no, you **_should've_** said no." **

"**I know, and I'm really sorry. Can we please still be friends?" **

"**If you promise no matter who tries to make you promise you will not lie to me again." **

"**Deal…how are you copping with the verdict last night? You tore out of there really fast." **

"**If I'm going back into the Arena, I want to be prepared. I mean of course I'm adequate with a bow, but otherwise I just improvise. And this time improvising could get me killed" I say. **

"**Being prepared means being in shape. How about every morning we go for a run around Victor's Village? That'll be a start" he says, as we start walking again. **

"**Sounds good to me." a smile creeps to my lips and I'm surprised that after so long my lips remember how to smile. We walk in silence to the Hob. I only know of it from one of Rory's friends that lives in the Seam. We walk inside and I catch glimpses of dirty looks as I pass a few stations. I manage to get a hunting knife for a good price. I slide it in my right boot. I walk to a small bar at the end of the Hob and take a seat. An elderly woman walks to me from behind the bar. "What can I get ya?" she asks. **

"**Two bowls of the stew, please" I say, as Peeta sits to my right. She nods and spoons stew into two bowls. She sets them in front of us and I give her more than enough money. "My name is Mia Wood. My brother might have come through here, Rory?" she nods. "He comes in almost every day." **

"**Do you know what he does?" **

"**Talks to his friends, buys a few things." **

"**Okay, thanks. He's never mentioned me has he?" **

"**No, I don't think so." She wanders away and I start eating my stew. I glance at Peeta and see he's staring at a girl. She's standing at a table several feet away. Her back is turned to us so she can't notice him starring. "Who's that?" I ask. **

"**Her name is Katniss. She goes to school with us" he says. **

"**Uh huh…so you like her?" I ask. He turns back to his stew, ignoring my question. I knew he liked a girl at school but he never would tell me who. No I know. I think I remember meeting her a few years ago when school started. She's not the social type, I've heard. After we finish, we walk to the exit. Someone taps my shoulder and I turn around. One of Rory's friends, Derek I think is his name, smiles down at me. "You finally decided to come down and check it out, huh?" he looks like everyone else in the Seam, dark hair and grey eyes and olive skin. He would be handsome if he wasn't always drinking with the rest of his 'guys'. "Yeah, thought I'd give it a try before I left, you know, for the Quell" I say. He nods. "Good luck in there. We'll be rootin' for ya" he says, before walking away to his group of friends. I wave to them before joining Peeta outside. **

**I walk into the Victor's Village. There are so many things swarming around in my head. **_**I'm going back in the Arena**_**, this is true. **_**Dillon is alive**_**; this may or may not be true. **_**I'm mad at Rory for lying**_**, that's true. **_**I only have a week until I go to the Capitol**_**, definitely true.  
I open the door and walk inside. Rory sits on the couch and he glances at me. Is cheek is still a bit read from yesterday. I take off my hat and gloves and boots. I leave them at the door and sit down beside Rory. "I should've told you…and I'm sorry for lying, but I thought, maybe it would be better for you to know he's dead than to know he's alive and you could never see him again. I didn't think you'd ever go back into the Games together" he says. **

"**I don't want to stay mad at you when I could die in week, but what I'm most mad about is you made Peeta lie to me too. The only person to tell me the truth was Haymitch and he was drunk." He turns to me and takes my hands in his. "I promise you, I won't keep secrets anymore. Okay?" I nod and he hugs me. **

**The next morning, I look out my window and see the snow isn't thick. You can see tufts of grass sticking out every which way. I put on my boots and pants and a shirt. I brush out my hair and braid it down my back. I walk to the living area just as someone knocks on the door. "I'll get it!" I shout from the hall. I jog to the door and open it. Peeta smiles at me and gestures outside. "Nice day, huh?" **

"**Yeah, it's great outside. Perfect day for the start of my fitness program" I say. **

"**Not that you need to lose weight." I just barely catch what he says before I turn around. "I'll be back in a little while" I say. I hear Rory shout a goodbye and I walk outside. We walk down the steps of the house. "We'll start with a short run to get your body used to working out, then if you feel up to it I have a ground exercise plan" he says, as we start running. **

"**I thought I didn't need to lose weight" I tease. **

"**Funny, very funny" he mumbles. We keep a steady pace as we lap around the Village. I'm surprised I'm not panting yet. I guess hunting kept me in shape more than I thought. We stop in front of my house. "Go again?" I ask. **

"**If you feel up to it" he says. **

"**You have no idea what I'm up for." I start running knowing he's probably blushing. This is how it used to be—just us being us, hanging out, the occasional flirty moment. A few minutes later he catches up to me. We run in silence and for once I like being quiet. Especially with what's happened this week. Once we round back to my house, we stop. "So what's this ground-plan?" I ask. He grins like he knows I'm going to hate every minute of it. "It consists of push-ups, sit-ups, and more push-ups. Think you'd be up for it?" **

"**Oh yeah. Bring it on." We walk around to the side yard. "Start with five push-ups" he says. **

"**Only five?" I say, sarcastically. I drop and start counting. 1…2…3…4…5, then I stand up, only slightly winded. "Now what?" he smiles and says, "Sit-ups. Twenty of 'em." I sit down and start counting. After twenty sit-ups I guess you could say I'm winded. "Anything else coach Peeta?" I ask. He chuckles and shakes his head. "That's it for today." **


	2. Chapter 2

**Rebellion, Episode 2**

**I see flashes of the Area—the blue sky, the green trees, the red blood. I see when I got hit with the arrow, I see what happened in the cave, and I see my flaming Mockingjay. Lastly I see the killing—Rue's death, my killing Marvel, the death of Glimmer I caused. Then I see them all standing together, and Glimmer has a bow. She shoots an arrow at me and I wake up in my bed mid-scream. I hear a knock on the door and jump out of my skin. "Mia, can I come in?" that voice…its Peeta's. I get out of bed and throw on a robe. I open the door and he steps inside. "I heard screaming, are you okay?" he asks. I close the door and I realize, looking at my hand, I'm shaking. "Mia?" I look up. I'd forgotten he was here. "Just a bad dream, nothing to worry about" I say. **

"**Do you want to talk about it?" I shake my head no, but secretly I do want to talk about it. Maybe talking about it will help it to go away. But I can't let my guard down so easily. "Okay. I'll be in the living room if you need me" he says, walking out of my room. He shuts the door and I walk to the window. It's barely light outside. The sun is up just enough to make everything blue. I'm too shaken up to go back to sleep and see it all again. I dress in pants, a shirt, and a grey over-sweater. I walk out and down the hallway to the living area. Rory has gone to work so Peeta is on 'Suicide Watch' until he gets back. I'm going to try and take my life again, not now that I know Dillon is okay. I wonder what he's doing now. His dad is still there on business, maybe he's with him? Peeta glances at me while he puts wood on the fire. "You should get more sleep before you have to go" he says over his shoulder. I rip a piece of bread from a loaf in the kitchen then munch on it as I sit on the couch behind him. "I don't feel tired."  
That's a lie.  
I'm exhausted.  
I am a liar.  
He stands and turns around. "How long you on watch?" I ask, a hint of a smile peeking out. He chuckles and sits beside me a little too closely. "Until later this morning; Rory is coming home early today so he can say goodbye" he says. **

"**I don't get why he still works." **

"**I guess it gives him a sense of worth, knowing he worked for what he has?" I shrug and look at the fire. It's quiet for a few minutes until he says, "did you and him make up?" I nod and then so does he. **_**Awkward**_**, is all I can think. We hardly ever have awkward moments. But with me leaving today…we don't really know what to say. I don't know what to say. "When I leave could you do something for me?" I ask. I meet his eyes with a serious expression so he understands. He nods and lets me continue. "I need you to make sure no matter what happens Rory doesn't start drinking. He's done it once and he can't do it again. Promise me you'll try?" **

"**Yeah, I promise. But you're gonna come back." **

"**I don't know this time. This time it's different, the stakes are higher. And I either go all in or fold" I say, referencing when Rory used to have friends over playing cards. He won the cards in a card game. Ironic. He grins, also remembering. We'd sit in the dark and bet on who would win each game. We were only…holy cow, we were only 8 and 9 (Me 9, Him 8). I can't believe it was so long ago. I push the memories of my past away and refocus my eyes on my present. "I say all in" he says. **

"**I was thinking fold, but that works too." We both laugh a little, but it's still really tense between us so we don't laugh long. "Can we just stop with this unspoken-tension crap? What is going on?" I ask. No one moves for a minute. Then, before I know what's happening, his lips are on mine. I always thought kissing him would be gross, like kissing a brother kind of gross. But…inside I think I like how it feels. His hands are in my hair and mine are on his chest. For some reason I can't pull away even though I **_know_** I should. I draw back enough to speak. "Peeta…I shouldn't." we lock eyes and I know he's thinking the same thing. But no one acts. Instead, we sit on my living room couch still close enough to feel each other breathe, not saying a word. That is, until I finally give in and kiss him again. I am such an idiot. I really am. "I thought…you said…you shouldn't" he says, between kisses. **

"**Shut up" I say. He trails kisses down my jaw and then slowly down my neck. I run through all the ways I could escape this situation in my head, but I can't convince myself to leave with any of them. I'm stuck. I'm torn between just doing it this one time and not doing it at all. I could die and never know what it felt like—what **_he_** felt like—or I could just give into my body's feelings. Hmm.  
before I know it I'm lying on my back with him on top of me. Too late to change my mind I guess. He pulls at the bottom of my shirt we both pull it off. I've never gotten so serious before. The closest I've ever gotten was three years ago. And it didn't end well. As he kisses down my neck and across my collar bone I glance at the window. By the shadow of the house I'm guessing it's around noon. Rory could be home any minute. "Rory will be home soon" I say. The words come out quickly, giving him the impression I'm glad I can get away. I grab my shirt from the floor as he sits back, off of me. How did I let things get so out of hand so quickly? I stand and pull my shirt on as I walk to the front window. Rory's walking toward the house. He looks pissed. I sigh. "I'll be in my room" I say, as I turn and walk down the hall. As soon as the door clicks into the doorframe I let out a sigh of relief. I don't know what I would've done if it had gone any further than my shirt. Even that was too much. I'm losing it. This is not the time to be thinking of sleeping with my best friend.  
I can't think of anything to do so I start doing push-ups. It's an easy release for the pressure that doesn't demand my blood. I lose track after a while and just keep going. It's nothing but my anger and indecision that fuels me. I ignore the knock on my door and keep up the steady rhythm of **_**up and down…up and down…up and down**_**. I hear the door open but I don't stop. "What are you doing?" I hear the confusion in his voice. Also a little amusement—he thinks I look stupid. I turn over and sit. "Trying to mentally be anywhere but in the living room. What are **_you_** doing?" Kay runs into my room from beside Rory and she sits next to me. I stroke her fur while Rory answers. "The Capitol people should be here any time." He says **_**Capitol people**_** like venom from a snake bite. I should know, I've been bitten by a snake several times before. I nod pretending to care if they come or not. Rory shuts the door with a sweep of him arm and looks at me with a look I've only seen a few times. It's his protective look. "What happened?" he asks, kneeling in front of me. His tone is low and quiet, letting me know whatever I tell him is just for his ears. I debate telling him everything but I decide not to. I shake my head. "Nothing you need to know." **

"**Mia…you know you can talk to me. Is having Peeta here all the time making you uncomfortable? You know…" my eyes go wide. "No! We're just friends, Rory" I say. He chuckles softly. "Want me to ask him that? You think he'd say the same?" I give him the 'it's complicated' look like always do when he asks about my relationship with Peeta. I hear Effie's high pitched voice as she greets Peeta in the living area. I quickly hug Rory then stand and walk to the living area. Effie Trinket, in an orange ensemble, smiles when she sees me. "Mia! It's so good to see you!" she says. I fake a smile trying not to be rude. "The Victory Tour's been cancelled this year, so we're going straight to the Capitol once we get on the train" she says. My fake smile falters. "What? Why?" I ask. **

"**I don't know, and I wasn't about to ask either. We're on a tight schedule, we need to get going or we'll be late" she says. Then I see movement in the corner of my right eye and I turn to see Cinna walking in the door. "Calm down, Effie. I'll have her ready soon" he says. Effie sighs and Cinna turns to me. "Shall we begin?" he asks. I nod and the rest of the prep team walks in. "Mia!" Flavious gives me a quick, lop-sided hug then ushers me down the hall to the bathroom. And thus beginning the process of trimming and scrubbing me. No hair is left on me but the hair on my head. My skin feels raw and tingly. My hair is done as it was at the Reaping—two front braids pulled back into a bun—but it looks a lot less messy when they do it. It's simple, elegant, sexy. I didn't think I was capable of that quality. They put on intricate makeup and then leave me alone in the room. A second later Cinna walks in with my outfit. It's black pants, wool-lined boots, a black shirt to go under a brown suede jacket, and a red scarf. Once I'm dressed I look in the mirror. I look nothing like myself. I look older. The angles of my face are sharper. My eyes seem brighter. I am not myself anymore and I don't know when I ever will be. **

**We board the train, and once in the car, it starts moving. The only ones on the train are me, Haymitch, Cinna and the prep team, and Effie. She shows me to my room and I thank her. She walks to a different car before I walk into my room. I'm instantly reminded of last time I was in here. It sickens me to think I was weak enough to hide in my room most of the trip. I sit on the bed and pull off the scarf. I can't help the nervous tingling in my stomach. In a couple of days I'll be in the Capitol. Until then I just have to keep my cool and not freak out. I can do that. I think. **


End file.
